Saint Olga of Kyiv is remembered as one of the most influential and powerful women in medieval Eastern Europe. As regent following the death of her husband Igor I, Grand Prince of Kyiv, Olga enacted ruthless revenge against the Drevlian tribe for her husband's murder.
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| The Bloody Revenge of Saint Olga of Kiev |
Her brutal retaliation and cunning political maneuvers established her authority and paved the way for her son Svyatoslav's reign. This is the story of how Saint Olga of Kyiv got her bloody revenge.
Early Life and Marriage of Olga of Kyiv to Igor
1. Little is known about Olga's early life, but she is believed to have been born around 890 AD. Her birthplace was likely either Pskov or Vybuty.
2. Olga was of Varyag descent, with her father hailing from Scandinavia. Her mother was likely Slavic. This mixed heritage would have long-lasting implications.
3. In 903 AD, around age 13, Olga married Igor, Prince of Kyiv. Their son Svyatoslav was born soon after.
4. As ruler, Igor continued his father Rurik's efforts to consolidate power over Eastern Slavic and Baltic tribes.
5. Olga likely took on administrative duties while her husband was away commanding military campaigns. This prepared her to later rule Kievan Rus'.
👊However Olga of Kyiv, a 10th-century ruler, wedded Igor, a strong ruler. Their marriage was pivotal for concordance and security. Notwithstanding her significant other's demise, Olga stayed the authority over her kid. Their story features the significance of ladies' solidarity and adaptability, featuring the job of plots and relationships in molding nations' destinies.
Igor's Death at the Hands of the Drevlians
1. In 945 AD, Igor set out to impose higher tributes on the Drevlians, a Slavic tribe living between the Pripyat and Western Bug rivers.
2. Seeing this campaign as oppressive, the Drevlians rose up and killed Igor. His death was seen as a "disgrace" by the remaining Rus' forces who quickly retreated.
3. The Drevlians sent 20 of their best warriors to persuade Olga to marry Prince Mal and tie their tribes together. She refused this offer.
4. Without letting on her true intentions, Olga bided her time before taking revenge for her husband's death.
❤However Olga of Kyiv's life and marriage were influenced by Igor's passing because of the Drevlians. Igor's desires for power were broken by their intelligence, prompting his unfavorable obliteration. This occasion stressed the significance of drive, respect, and keeping up with agreement under pressure.
Olga's Bloody Retribution Against the Drevlians
Olga of Kyiv, the spouse of Igor, looked for equity for her significant other's homicide by fighting back by requesting the Drevlian seniors to send her their most recognized men.
Notwithstanding, she had a vile arrangement: after the burial service, she requested a pit to be dug and covered with wooden boards, burning down the boards and consuming the whole gathering alive. This savage demonstration hardened Olga's standing as a furious ruler, exhibiting her versatility and strength.
The Drevlian Emissaries
Still wishing to build a relationship with Olga, the Drevlians sent another group of emissaries. She told them to return the next day. Olga had a trench dug outside the city walls. When the emissaries returned, she had them thrown into this trench and buried alive.
Olga of Kiev, a remarkable ruler of her time, exemplified strength and diplomacy, leaving a lasting legacy on the pages of history.
Burning of Korosten
Olga gathered a Rus army and traveled to Korosten, the Drevlian capital. She offered terms of peace if they paid tribute. Once allowed into the city, Olga had her army burn down the buildings and slaughter the inhabitants. She left Korosten in ruins.
Massacre at Iskorosten
Olga moved on to Iskorosten, where the Drevlians had first rebelled against her husband. She repeated her ruse of asking for tributes. After getting the residents drunk during a funeral feast, Olga's soldiers massacred between five to twenty thousand Drevlians.
5 Year Tribute
With the Drevlians now severely weakened, Olga instituted a crushing tribute to be paid over 5 years. One consequence was impoverishing widows having to pay the "widow's tax".Olga's brutal suppression of the Drevlians allowed her to firmly establish control over the tribe and surrounding region. Her dominance was complete.
👀The creative story that Olga made is that Olga requested a tribute of three sparrows and pigeons from each house, which the Drevlian leaders accepted. However, Olga's brutal retaliation involved tying burning papers to the birds' legs, allowing them to return to their nests in the city. The birds destroyed the entire city.
🗡However Olga of Kyiv looked for equity for Igor's murder by mentioning Drevlian seniors' men. Nonetheless, she contemptibly intended to torch the whole assembly, hardening her power as a ruler.
Olga's Reign as Regent
👑 As regent, Olga deftly ruled Kievan Rus' from 945-964 AD until her son Svyatoslav reached adulthood.
👑 She managed domestic affairs and conducted foreign relations with regional tribes and the Byzantine Empire.
👑 Olga was the first Rus ruler to establish diplomatic ties with Constantinople. She traveled there in 957 AD and met with Emperor Constantine VII.
👑 Her skillful administration allowed Kievan Rus to thrive economically and militarily. This created stability for her son's eventual rise to power.
👌However Olga of Kyiv, the vital head of Kyiv, was a visionary ruler who delivered alliances, exchanged over totally to Christianity, and did administrative changes. Her legacy includes the meaning of strong organization, circumspection, and adaptability in the present old age.
Christian Conversion and Sainthood
During her regency, Olga was baptized as a Christian with Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII as her godfather. She took the baptismal name, Helena. While her conversion was political to deepen ties with the Byzantines, Olga did help spread Christianity in Rus' territory laying the foundations for it becoming the state religion.
Years after her death, Olga was made a saint for her role in Christianizing the region. Her feast day is July 11th. She is honored with the title "Equal to the Apostles".
👉So; Olga of Kyiv changed over completely to Christianity in Constantinople in 957, changing Kyiv's set of experiences. She effectively spread Christianity, upheld church development, and battled for equity and debasement, acquiring her sainthood from the Eastern Standard Church.
Legacy and Significance
1. Saint Olga of Kyiv set the standard for brutally consolidating power in medieval Eastern Europe. Her ruthless revenge against the Drevlians was unprecedented.
2. As one of the first female rulers in the region, Olga's cunning political acumen and administrative talents established a model later echoed by Catherine the Great.
3. By spreading Christianity in the region, Olga changed the religious trajectory of Eastern Europe with implications lasting for centuries.
4. For both her secular impact as a monarch and her religious role as a saint, Olga of Kyiv remains one of the most iconic figures of medieval Eastern European history.
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When did Igor die?
- Igor, husband of Olga, was killed in 945 AD during a failed attempt to impose higher tributes on the Drevlian tribe.
2. What did the Drevlians first ask of Olga following Igor's death?
- The Drevlians sent 20 warriors to ask Olga to marry Prince Mal to tie their tribes together. She refused this offer of marriage.
3. How did Olga kill the Drevlian emissaries?
- Olga had a trench dug outside the city walls and then had the Drevlian emissaries thrown into the trench and buried alive.
4. What city did Olga famously burn to the ground?
- Olga burned down the city of Korosten, which was the Drevlian capital at the time.
5. How long did Olga make the Drevlians pay tribute after defeating them?
- Olga instituted a crushing 5-year tribute on the defeated Drevlians which severely weakened them economically.
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